New Delhi: The largest Indian Muslim organization Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has termed the verdict regarding acquittal of all the 32 accused the Babri Masjid demolition case by the special CBI Court, very disappointing and against the spirits of justice.
The JUH General Secretary Maulana Mahmood Madani pointed out that such kind of verdict has no parallel in the justice system anywhere.
“While pronouncing the judgment, not only the witnesses were ignored but the criminal act of perpetrators of Babri Mosque demolition too were brushed aside. This is such kind of verdict where neither justice is done nor justice is seen. This has also raised a question mark over the independence of the judiciary and thus giving a bad name to the country in the international fraternity,” Maulana Madani said in a statement.
Maulana Madani also expressed his apprehension that radical elements will feel emboldened who have been vying for targeting other mosques in the country. “It may jeopardize the law and order situation in the country and will create a sense of insecurity among the minority community. It will erode the faith of citizens in the justice system and will embolden the resolution of the many vexed issues through the use of power,” he said.
Maulana Madani demanded that keeping in view of the demand of justice, propriety and common interest of the country, the verdict should be challenged in the upper Court to ensure how to ward off negative repercussion emanating from such decision.
JUH said that it is well known that on 6 December 1992 the BJP and the VHP organised a rally at the Babri Masjid site involving lacs of peoples, known as Kar Sevaks. “Continuously the provocative speeches and provocative and offensive slogans had been chanted by the political leaders and their followers. This event had been covered by all National and International Media (print as well as electronic) houses. The photographs of the event and video recordings are available on record. The mob on the provocation of their leaders razed to the ground the 500 years old Babri Mosque,” the statement read.
In 1994 the five judges bench of Hon’ble Supreme Court in Ismail Farooqui Vs. Union of India judgment made a strong observation regarding demolition of Babri Mosque by saying that “the miscreants who demolished the mosque are suspected to be persons professing to practise the Hindu religion. The Hindu community must, therefore, bear the cross on its chest, for the misdeed of the miscreants reasonably suspected to belong to their religious fold.” And “The demolition…was a most reprehensible act. The perpetrators of this deed struck not only against a place of worship but also at the principles of secularism, democracy and the rule of law….”
Later on in the unanimous judgment dated 09.11.2019 in Appeals ‘M. Siddiq Vs. Mahant Suresh Das’ in respect of Babri Masjid the Five Judges Bench of the Hon’ble Supreme Court specifically held that the Babri masjid was not constructed after demolition of religious structure And “On 6 December 1992, the structure of the mosque was brought down and the mosque was destroyed. The destruction of the mosque took place in breach of the order of status quo and an assurance given to this Court. The destruction of the mosque and the obliteration of the Islamic structure was an egregious violation of the rule of law.”
The criminal case pertaining to the demolition of Babri Mosque was being prosecuted by CBI in the Special Court Lucknow. On 30.09.2020 the Special Court at Lucknow acquitted all the accused of all charges of the demolition of Babri Mosque by discarding the evidence produced by the CBI simply on technical grounds that the CBI could not produce the ‘negatives’ of the photographs exhibited and the audio and video evidence produced by the CBI did not establish conspiracy charges. The audio of the speeches was also not clear.
JUH further said that the observation of the Special Court that the demolition of Babri Mosque was not preplanned is wrong as the huge structure could not be razed to the ground without the help of heavy instruments needed for demolition of such a huge building and clearing the debris without the connivance/involvement of political leaders and local administration.